Summer Opportunities
by Che-chan
Summary: Reposted. Summer camps don't usually impace you a whole lot. They're just a place to waste time, and have some fun. But this particular summer changes Kagome's whole view on reality when she meets a guy who isn't exactly what you'd call...human. SK R&R!


Chapter 1-Hazel

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it. Sesshoumaru, the Inuyasha series. Le sigh!

She never wanted to come to this camp. She really, really didn't want to come here at all. But of course, seeing how fate hated her, Kagome ended up being forced to go anyways.  
The 18 year old graduate had just gotten over the whole 'finishing high school' thing, and was waiting for letters back from the colleges she had applied for, and then boom! Her mom dropped the bomb. Not literally speaking of course. But it might as well have been, considering Kagome's reaction was just as explosive.  
"What do you mean, I'm going to a summer camp? I thought I made it perfectly clear that I wanted to stay home during my last summer at home. What about my plans? My friends! How come you never even mentioned anything about this before?" Kagome took a deep breath and was about to continue ranting, when her mother wisely interrupted.  
"Come now, Kagome dear. I thought you would've loved to experience something like this. You've never been to a camp or anything before on your own for more than a few days time. It'll be good for you to get away from home during the summer. That way you'll be broken in by the time you decide on a college and pack up. It won't be a short term thing honey. I just thought some practice of being away from family and friends would do you good so this whole moving away thing wouldn't be quite a shock. Please understand, Kagome!"  
"Oh, I understand perfectly fine, mom. That's why I'm refusing. No! I will not be shipped off to some strange camp on a cramped bus full with other people that I don't know! I wanted to spend the whole summer with my friends before I go away. I won't be able to see them for at least a few months once school starts again!"  
Her mother was the one who took a deep breath this time. It seemed her stubborn daughter was trying her patience. "Listen, Kagome. Whether you like it or not, you are going to this camp. You have no choice in the matter. As a parent I know what's best. That's final!"  
Kagome sucked in a breath sharply as her mothers words came to her. "That's not fair!"  
Mrs. Higurashi just sighed wearily before walking out of the kitchen. "Life's not always fair, honey. You might as well get used to it."

And that's how she had ended up on a crowded bus, hot enough to be an oven. The noise had reached a level so high that Kagome had long given up trying to prevent herself from getting a headache. High-spirited teens chatted loudly to their seating partners as they awaited their destination. It seemed the only person who didn't want to be there was Kagome herself.  
She had pretty much narrowed down the conversations to three general categories for the females. On the girl's point of view, it was "Oh did you see how hot that guy we passed earlier was? He was so tanned! And his..." Or there was "And then she was like...and I was like oh my god! And then he was like..." Then finally, "Have you seen that new film out? It was like, so lame! I know! I swear, I was so close to walking out...You too? I know...oh my god..."  
And so on. Kagome's life had been degraded to listening to teenage gossip. Gag. She wouldn't even make the trip there if things kept up like this.  
"Hello, there!"  
Kagome practically jumped out of her seat, as a voice suddenly spoke up right behind her. She quickly regained her neutral but pleasant composure and turned around to face the cheerful speaker...  
...To see a pretty girl about her age with big brown eyes long brown hair done up in a low ponytail. Her grin almost covered her entire face and made her large eyes seem even larger as they sparkled with undisguised mirth. "I'm Hitomi, Sango. It's nice to meet you."  
"Um...Higurashi, Kagome," she hesitantly replied as the girl eagerly shook her hand.  
Sango seemed to laugh at her bewilderment. " I'm sorry if I seem so forward, but I've always been known to be over friendly and introduce myself to random people. I hope I didn't scare you too much." It seemed her smile could get even wider.  
Kagome shook her head quickly, and managed a timid smile. "Oh no, it's alright. I was just caught off guard, that's all. It's really easy to go off into your own world around here."  
The girl nodded enthusiastically, before bouncing out of her seat and sliding beside Kagome. "Yeah, I catch myself daydreaming all the time. So, are you excited?"  
The sudden change of subject made Kagome struggle for a response before simply questioning, "excited?"  
"For going to the summer camp of course!" Sango exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "This is supposed to be the best on around Tokyo! They have the largest dojo ever, and a lot of stables where the riding horses are. I heard they even hold competitions!"  
The last statement piqued Kagome's interest. "Competitions? And a dojo?" It was certainly more than she had expected. Her basic view of a summer camp was long hikes, childish games, campfires with marshmallows, and cold baths in the lake. Apparently they had upped the system since then.  
"Yes, of course! Almost all the camps have dojos now, even though most of them are small. But this is one of the few camps that actually have annual competitions! There's some for everything. Sparring, Boxing, archery-"  
"Archery?" Kagome squeaked, excitement leaking through her voice for the first time in 5 days.  
Sango laughed at the girls constant mood swings. "Yes silly, they have archery as well. Almost any sport you can think of. What did you think it would be like? The stone age?"  
The girl blushed in reply and mumbled an excuse before turning to look out the window.  
"Well I can see this is going to be an interesting summer."  
Kagome turned an indignant look at Sango's comment, but the girl merely laughed again. "Come on Kagome- san, cheer up! We're almost there now, and I can show you around. This is my third year at Camp Taisho."  
She looked outside the window, and to her amazement saw acres of forest, and in the middle was dozens of cabins surrounded by a lake and also a few dojo training halls. Also, if she peered closely, she could make out a number of trails going through the forest.  
Ten minutes later, Kagome found herself unloading off the bus and towards at the entrance of Taisho Camp. She wondered how her mother could afford to send her to such a place for two months. They weren't exactly the most stable family when it came to financial terms.

That's when Sango seemed to remember something. "Now I know where I recognized your name from! You live in the Higurashi shrine, right? I knew it was in the same area so..."  
Kagome quickly nodded her hand, smiling in return. "You've...been to our shrine before?"  
"Oh yes, I went to see the ancient tree. I believe it is called the Goshinboku?"  
Kagome grinned at her knowledge of the legend of the tree seen in her front yard. "Yes, it is. They say that once a powerful demon was pinned against that tree under a spell 500 years ago."  
Sango seemed to be intrigued at her story. "Really? What kind of demon was it?"  
Kagome glanced at her, slightly startled at her question. Out of all the things for people to ask, she had never heard of someone wondering what type of demon it was...she always assumed they were all similar. "I...don't know. Er, an evil demon?"  
Sango frowned, clearly disappointed. "Oh, I see. You aren't familiar with youkai very much are you?"

Kagome looked at her, slightly confused and a little insulted...Sango had stated it like she should know stuff that. "Well, no. I mean it's not as if they're real or anything. I just know that there are stories where the evil youkai destroy this, or kill them. I didn't realize there were different kinds."  
Sango seemed slightly embarrassed. "Oh well, excuse me. I hadn't realized. I just assumed since you lived at a shrine and such. My family are experts on the youkai race. We study on the weaknesses of the different species, their strengths, special abilities and so on." She flushed again. "Oh but why am I babbling, you probably aren't interested at all."  
Kagome had to admit that she actually was. "So...what do you mean by different types of youkai? Is it like a disease?"  
Sango laughed, clearly amused. "Oh no! There is no way a human can become a youkai unless..." She seemed to pause and started again. "Anyways, usually youkai are named by the animal they seem to take after. There are Inu, Kitsune, Neko, Centipede, Panther, Wolf, Spider and so on. There are so many kinds even we can't keep track of them all! But the rarest you'll find are ha-"  
"Alright everyone, come here and give us your name and we'll assign you a cabin number. Everyone line up accordingly!" The lady's voice interrupted Sango's speech as she raised her hand up to call order. It seemed everyone was accounted for.  
"Um...Sango-san?" Kagome inquired as they were almost to the front of the line. "Where are we supposed to go after this?"  
"To find your cabins of course! That way you'll get acquainted with your cabin mate, and unpack so you can explore and remember your way around a little bit before tomorrow when all the activities start."  
"Right. Wait, cabin mate? We're sharing rooms?" Kagome shivered at the thought of sharing her living space with a total stranger. Worse, a strange guy.  
Sango seemed ignorant to her inner turmoil, and laughed again. "They don't have enough cabins to let everyone have their own, you know. People have to share these days Kagome- san. Don't worry, they'll only put girls with girls, and boys with boys. That way no incidents occur."  
Kagome swallowed thickly and stared at the ground the remaining wait. She must wanted to disappear and go back home where she felt safe. What would happen if she couldn't handle a couple months, let alone a few years on her own when she went off to college? Maybe her mom was right.  
That's when someone slammed into her from behind, and she fell forwards, automatically grabbing and crashing into the person in front of her. This is what Kagome got for not paying attention.

Immediately worried that the person she had run into might have fallen as well, Kagome quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."  
"That part is evidently clear. Perhaps you should invest in a pair of glasses," a deep mocking voice spoke above her.  
Currently rubbing her bruised tail bone, Kagome's head snapped up at the rude comment to face a pair of cold amber eyes. "Well excuse me for not paying attention to you enough! Perhaps I should be more careful the next time I bump into you, and knock you to the ground instead!"  
As the masculine figure tilted his head, she was able to get a better view of his face when the sun angled differently. She could've almost cried out again in shock. This was no ordinary guy! He was the most gorgeous person she had ever seen! Not that Kagome was one to ogle the opposite gender for too long.  
"Your lack of manners is grating on my nerves girl. Please desist your attempts to regain your measly pride and close your mouth before something falls into it."  
Kagome's mouth automatically snapped shut as she inwardly fumed. Standing as gracefully as she could, she wiped off the dust on her clothes, and glared at the offending figure before her. "Why don't you just head off the way you were going before this happened and we'll both be happy. I don't take to kindly to qualified jerks like you."  
The young man's eyes narrowed significantly at her bold remark, and he seemed to grow a little more intimidating. "Watch what comes out of your mouth, before it gets you into trouble. You may find that not everyone will take it so kindly." With that, he stalked gracefully off, leaving a gaping Kagome in his wake.  
"That asshole!" Kagome growled furiously. Before she could open her mouth to yell an insult after him however, there was a tap on her shoulder.  
"You really do have quite a temper there, Kagome- san. But if I were you, I would watch my attitude around guys like him. You could end up seriously hurt one day if you piss someone off too much."  
"Excuse me girls, but you're holding the line up. Name, please." A stern voice broke through the haze Kagome's mind had entered, and she quickly became flustered.  
"Higurashi, Kagome," The girl replied promptly, not wanting to try her patience.  
She quickly scanned the list and gave her a number and a key, then turning back called 'next!'  
"Number 36..." Kagome mumbled to myself, while searching for her delegated cabin. There were so many of them lined up it wasn't even funny. She was currently at 54. If only Sango was sharing a cabin with her...  
About five minutes and a few curses later, she stood in front of a very square, and very brown cabin. Looking at it intently, Kagome found it had 2 windows and probably more than one room. Fitting the key in quickly she quietly opened the door, pleased it made no noise.  
Locking the door behind her just in case, she scanned the area, and noticed there were two small rooms. Noticing her tempoarary 'cabin mate' hadn't gotten there yet, she quickly chose a room and unloaded her stuff. Two months worth of clothes and everything else made sure that Kagome's bag was stuffed- and weighed a ton.  
After about a half hour of trying to organize everything, she was finally satisfied. With a quick nod and grin Kagome hopped towards the front door, eager to explore outside. However, someone beat her to it, as the door opened just as her hand was on the nob. Unprepared for the change of balance, Kagome's arms flung wildly in front of her, and she landed flat on her face.  
Yes that's right, the dirt got everywhere, and she started coughing and groaning, sitting up with her now brown patched clothes. It figures whoever barged in decided not to catch her.  
Kagome scowled angrily. She had just washed this outfit! Didn't anyone know how to knock these days? That's when she remembered that she had locked the door...hadn't she? Frowning, still trying to rub the dirt out of her eyes, she tried to recall the moment.  
That's when Kagome realized someone's shadow was still looming over her, waiting to be acknowledged. She looked up timidly, wondering who would be staying with her. Kagome knew it probably wasn't Sango considering she would probably be laughing her head off by now. She seemed like the type of person to that.  
Cold hazel eyes stared back at her.  
Kagome jumped slightly, caught off guard. God, this guy was scary! He stood without making a sound, holding one expensive looking duffel back and a long...case? Who knew what was in there...  
"Are you going to sit there all day blocking the entrance, or are you going to get up sometime today?"  
She sat dumbfounded for a moment, before finding her senses and managing to give him a half-hearted glare. "I haven't decided yet." With that, she flounced back up, leaning on the door frame. "What do you want?"  
He sneered slightly, obviously thinking that was a stupid question. "I happened to be on my way to unpack my things at the moment, but your unwanted presence seems to be in the way. Care to move aside?"  
Kagome fumed silently, clenching the door frame, and narrowed her eyes. "Yes actually, I do care. This is my-" She stopped suddenly, realizing what he just said. That meant...oh my god he couldn't be the one she had to put up with for the next two months! Didn't Sango say something about only girls with girls?  
He seemed to notice her change in demeanor, as he raised an eyebrow, but still managed to sneer. "Something wrong, girl?"  
Kagome turned her attention back to him, finally acknowledging that there was no choice. "Um, don't they organize cabin mates so that girls are with girls, and guys are with...guys? Unless, you're a girl that just happens to have a really masculine...erm, voice?" She immediately regretted that statement, as his gaze seemed to freeze her body.

"What are you implying?"

Kagome figured that was a pretty stupid question, seeing as how he most likely knew exactly what she was implying. Nevertheless, she decided to humor him. "If you hadn't noticed, my bags are completely unpacked onto one of the bags. And I doubt you'd be here unless this was your assigned cabin as well."

She didn't think his eyes could go any smaller, because now they were practically slits. "You are certain this is your cabin number?"

Kagome huffed again. "Well how else could I have unlocked the door, unless the keys are all the same?"

He finally took his burning stare off of her, and seemed to consider the situation. "It seems we have a problem, then."

End.

Che-chan

A/N: I know the format got all screwed up. Sorry about that. D; I'll make sure to have it all better by the next chapter. xD 3


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